Southwest Florida has superb destinations.

The Cape Coral Cruise Club, founded in 1963, is unique among S.W. Florida boat clubs in that it owns a portion of a private island on the Caloosahatchee River east of the Franklin Lock. Over the years a covered pavilion has been built where the members enjoy monthly picnics. The facility also has four docks with both 50amp and 30amp power that can accommodate up to sixteen member boats for a weekend.

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CCCC is a group of active cruisers. Monthly cruises are planned for September through June each season. If you have a boat with overnight accommodations, reside in the Cape Coral – Ft. Myers area, and would like to get out on your boat with fellow boating enthusiasts, take a look at the destinations of past CCCC organized cruises.

We visit South Seas Resort and ‘Tween Waters resort on Captiva Island; Pink Shell Resort and Snook Bight Marina on Ft. Myers Beach; Boca Grande Marina, Uncle Henry’s Marina, Burnt Store Marina, and Fisherman’s Village in Charlotte harbor.

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Going further north on the GICW we’ve visited both Palm Island Marina and Gasparilla Marina, as well as attractive locations in Sarasota and Longboat Key. There is a 2015 trip in the works for a cruise further north to Tarpon Springs.

Local short cruises include Tarpon Point and Cape Harbour in Cape Coral, and Legacy Harbor in downtown Ft. Myers. Naples is an annual tradition with the Naples Boat Club, City Dock at Crayton Cove, or Pelican Isle Marina as destinations.

Venturing further south the Club has visited Marco Island, Everglades City, Marathon, Key Biscayne and Key West.

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Each year an extended cruise is planned. In 2014 that destination was first to the South Georgia Isles and beaches with stops in Stuart, New Smyrna, St Augustine and Fernandina Beach. Other members elected to do the second extended cruise to the Bahamas with stops in Clewiston, West Palm Beach and the Club owned Hidden Island on the Caloosahatchee Waterway.

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For those interested in extending their local boating distances, or who may be new to the area and are looking for an active boating group, the Cape Coral Cruise Club will have a booth at the Ft. Myers Boat Show November 13 -16 at the Harborside Event Center & City Yacht Basin. We look forward to talking with you about local boating!

Stop by and meet Club members and a view short video of Club cruise activities, and obtain membership information. Or contact Larry Mitchell, CCCC membership chairman at 239-560-2823. Additional information is posted on the Club website, www.c-c-c-c.org. Also “Like” us on our Facebook page.

Posted by Scott Q Cruising

Getting the Most Out of Your High and Dry Marina Experience

By Ken Stead, General Manager, Cape Haze Marina

So you have decided that trailering your boat is no longer how you want to get your boat out on the water and you’ve selected a marina with inside or outside storage, and a forklift to launch your boat. Your boat is now going to get washed down and the engine(s) flushed, a great way to help keep her in shipshape.

Here are some tips to maximize your marina experience.

Cape Haze MarinaAlways try to give the marina as much advance notice as possible when scheduling your boat launch. Showing up without a phone call requesting a launch can play havoc with everyone’s schedule – the marina’s and other boaters. An hour is typical, but each marina is different. Realize if you don’t call, there could be four or five boats ahead of you for launch.

Arrive on time or let the marina know when you are running late. On busy days there can be limited room in the launch area and a couple of boats sitting for an extra hour can really clog up the basin.

Be sure the marina has a set of keys or that you keep a key in the boat. Comes in handy when we need to move it, or when you forget your set!

Cape Haze Marine Dry Dock StorageTake advantage of all of the marina’s services. For instance we will fill your boat with fuel, put ice and beverages in your cooler, test run your boat, etc. to make your day on the water hassle free and enjoyable. Most marinas provide some if not all of these services and I recommend that you use them. Nobody likes to show up and find a dead battery for instance. While we will loan you a new one to get out going, your still going to be waiting while we swap it out.

Speaking of test runs, if you haven’t used your boat in month’s, call a week in advance and request a “back in service” check to see if your boat needs any mechanical attention before you arrive for a day on the water. This is particularly important if you didn’t have it “layed up” or “summarized” before it’s extended period of inactivity. We offer to run your boat on a monthly basis if you know you are not going to be using it for an extended period, this is the best way to keep all your systems operational.

With over 30 years of Marine Industry experience, Ken is always happy to answer your questions. Email him at [email protected].

Posted by Scott Q Boating Pro Tips Marinas